What Tour West River does

Tour West River (legal entity Tour West, Inc., d/b/a Tour West Rafting) is a family-owned whitewater rafting operator founded in 1969 by Frank Stratton and headquartered in Orem, Utah. The company runs guided multi-day expeditions on three premier western rivers: the Colorado River through Grand Canyon (3-, 6-, 8-, and 12-night motor and oar trips), Cataract Canyon within Canyonlands National Park (3-night motor and 4-night oar trips), and the Main Salmon River in Idaho (5- and 6-night oar trips). Trips use a mix of motor boats and oar-powered rafts and are staffed by guides averaging 18+ years of river experience; the business currently involves three generations of the Stratton family with a fourth on the way. All-inclusive packages cover meals, camping and river gear (cot, sleeping bag, tent, waterproof duffel), beverages, guide services, and ground/flight logistics, with accommodations for dietary restrictions.

Revenue is generated almost entirely from per-person trip bookings, which range from $1,555 (Cataract Canyon 3-night) to $5,675 (Grand Canyon 12-night oar) plus applicable park entrance fees and taxes. Booking mechanics are sales-led and human-mediated: customers call a toll-free 1-800 line or submit a website request, pay a $500-per-person deposit within 10 days of booking, and settle the balance 90 days before departure; the company offers modest family, youth (8-16), and senior (65+) discounts. A secondary, smaller revenue stream comes from the River Shop, which sells branded apparel, gear (Duffel Bag, Rain Suit, Chums strap), waterproof river guides, and storytelling content.

Distribution and marketing run through twriver.com, TripAdvisor, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and physical brochure mailings, but there is no third-party reseller or travel-agent layer. The business operates under a National Park Service Concessioner contract for Grand Canyon operations and a special use permit with the Salmon-Challis National Forest for Salmon River operations, making these federal authorizations the foundation of the operating model. There is no disclosed external capital, institutional investor, M&A activity, or leadership turnover; the company is privately held, bootstrapped, and family-controlled.

Name

Tour West River

Legal name

Tour West, Inc.

Website

https://twriver.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tour West River is a family-owned whitewater rafting operator founded in 1969 that runs guided 3- to 12-night motor and oar trips on the Grand Canyon, Cataract Canyon, and Salmon River for families, corporate groups, and individual adventure travelers, with a smaller merchandise catalog on the side.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adventure Tourism / Whitewater Rafting Services

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210), Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Whitewater Rafting, Kayaking & Canoeing Outfitters (THAAADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Whitewater Rafting, Kayaking & River Adventures (THAJABAB), Water & Marine Guiding Services (Kayak, Canoe, Raft, SUP, Sailing) (THAAALAB)

Keywords

• Whitewater rafting trips
• Guided river expeditions
• Grand Canyon rafting
• Multi-day rafting tours
• Outdoor adventure tourism

Headquarters

HQ city

Orem

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Rafting Trip Bookings: Revenue generated from multi-day whitewater rafting trips ranging from 3 to 12 nights. Pricing varies by trip type: Grand Canyon 3-night trips at $1,995-$2,045, 6-night trips at $3,550-$3,650, 8-night trips at $3,725-$3,955, and 12-night oar trips at $5,575-$5,675. Salmon River 5-night trips at $2,055-$2,100, 6-night trips at $2,200-$2,250. Cataract Canyon 3-night trips at $1,555-$1,600, 4-night oar trips at $1,735-$1,785. Additional fees include park entrance fees and taxes.
2. River Shop Merchandise: Sale of river-themed merchandise including River Runner Kit ($80), Duffel Bag ($45), Rain Suit ($35), Belnap's Grand Canyon Guide ($23), Mom's Stuff Salve ($20), Belnap's Cataract Canyon Guide ($18), Hats ($24), T-Shirts ($15), Beanies ($14), Chums glasses strap ($6), Stickers ($3), and There's This River book ($20).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Tour West River is a family-owned whitewater rafting outfitter operating guided multi-day expeditions on the Grand Canyon, Cataract Canyon, and Salmon River. Trips are all-inclusive, providing meals, camping gear, and highly experienced river guides with 18+ years on the water, supported by NPS concession permits. The company also retails branded merchandise, river guides, and gear through its River Shop.

Product overview

Tour West River is a family-owned whitewater rafting company founded in 1969, offering guided river rafting expeditions across three premier destinations: Grand Canyon, Cataract Canyon, and the Salmon River in Idaho. The company provides a portfolio of trip durations (3 to 12 nights) using both motor and oar-powered vessels. Beyond trip services, the company operates a River Shop merchandise catalog selling apparel (T-shirts, hats, beanies), gear (duffel bags, rain suits, safety straps), and educational materials (waterproof river guides, books). The core offering consists of guided multi-day rafting adventures, with merchandise serving as supplementary products for trip participants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Grand Canyon Rafting Trips

Quantifiable outcome

• 5 million visitors per year to Grand Canyon, with Tour West offering exclusive river access to portions only reachable by water

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• National Park ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTour West operates as a Concessioner under contract with the U.S. Government and administered by the National Park Service for Grand Canyon river operations. The concessioner is responsible for conducting operations in a satisfactory manner as approved by the National Park Service.
• Salmon-Challis National ForestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTour West operates under special use permit with the Salmon-Challis National Forest for Salmon River rafting operations.
• Bar Ten RanchmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBar Ten Ranch handles transportation logistics including van shuttles from Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport to Page, AZ (5 hours) and charter flights (1 hour 15 min). They also provide the first night lodging for Grand Canyon trips and helicopter transfers for 3-night and 8-night trip variations.
• Days Inn Page, AZminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner hotel providing first night accommodations for 6-night and 8-night Grand Canyon trip participants with double occupancy included. Single room available for additional fee.
• Stagecoach Inn (Salmon, Idaho)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner motel for Salmon River trips providing first night lodging with double occupancy included. Single room available for additional fee.
• Redtail AviationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCharter flight service for Cataract Canyon trips, transporting guests from Hite back to Moab airport at trip end. FAA requires photo ID for passengers 18+.
• Gem AirminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAirline partner providing flights from Boise, Idaho to Salmon, Idaho for Salmon River trip participants. Flights depart Boise at 4 PM on trip start day.
• Best Western Canyonlands Inn (Moab)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMeeting point for Cataract Canyon trips at 16 S. Main Street, Moab. Shuttle service provided from this location to river put-in.
• Allianz Global AssistanceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRecommended travel insurance provider. Tour West strongly encourages clients to purchase travel/cancellation insurance through Allianz for protection against unforeseen events.
• Grand Canyon Conservation FundminorStrategic or Co-development Partner501(c)(3) non-profit established in 1988 managed by Grand Canyon's licensed river outfitters. Guests donate approximately $1 per day of their river trip to support conservation efforts.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/tourwest
• Facebookfacebook.com/tourwest
• Instagraminstagram.com/tour_west
• TikToktiktok.com/@tour.west

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tour West River